Anxiety and Frequent Urination

[Nido]

So does anxiety really cause frequent urination? I haven't read many posts of people complaining about this symptom.

Suppose someone suddently has this really massive fear of contracting a fatal disease or dying etc. How long after the fear started would the anxiety symptoms like hair loss and frequent urination start? Would they occur immediately or within a day or two of the fear/panic attack starting? Or does it take a longer time?

Thanks. If you didn't guess, the above describes my own situation.

[mskbr59]

I have extreme stress and anxiety problems in 1985.  Used to have to urinate every 20 minutes.  Also suffered through the other illnesses associated with stress and anxiety.  IBS and insomnia.   Took me 5 years and regular doctors only put me on sleeping pills.  I went to alternative medical practitioners did a lot of work with a psychologist and a massage therapist and finally got it under control.  Then in 2008 something triggered my anxiety again.  It hasn't been as bad this time and medications given now are more effective, but I definitely urinate more when anxious.  Especially if I know I'm going into a high stress situation such as a stressful workday.  Also I have social anxiety and this brings on frequent urination too.  I definitely see the correlation between my anxiety episodes and the increase in bathroom visits.  Frustrating...frustrating...frustrating...

I'm trying meditation and CBT and anything I can do to change my thoughts but when you got to go...you got to go....

[charles_loko]

I have been urinating freqently since tenage years. Now at my 40'ies I need to go several times at night. There are times that it dissapears alltogether and other times when it becames real nuiesence.... Over the years I have releaised that our mind controls EVERYTHING but we ( or at least I) are unable to control our mind.  Appart of the nuisence it does not worry me much because if it did not kill me in last 20 years I am sure it is not going to kill me any time soon. However the main point is that I have notessed now that stress has a huge effect of the frequency... after an argumentwith my wife the frequency increases 5x. ( lets say from 3 x a night to 15+. On the other hand when I am aware that I can not go because of circumstancies (such as an overnight bus trip) then  I generally need to go once or twice... At peaceful and relaxing times, the problem may dissapear alltogether... SO I BELIEVE STRESS AND ANXCIETY CAN BE THE ONLY FACTOR FOR FREQUENT URINATION....
I would like to hear your oppinion.

charles_loko***@****

[Nido]

Actually for me, if I were sure that these symptoms are the result of anxiety, it would lessen my anxiety! (since it would mean it is not another terrible disease). I can't figure it out either. It went on for 2 weeks and then it seemed to subside and now again. Worse is I can't even predict it. Sometimes I go like 1 time in the afternoon and then 3 times in the evening. Next day, totally unpredictable again. Sometimes (like suzi) I just wonder whether it's time and I get the feeling to go again. At least it doesn't hurt which is a good thing. Unfortunately I can't go a day without constantly worrying about my situation so it's tough to say what is causing this. Will go for some tests next week. I hope it is all stress and not something else.

[bip]

Ya Im with ya, I have to go see a urology to.  I pee every hour to but I have bloating with this to.  Its so annoying.....

[starshadow]

i have to go to bathroom often like average one and half hour.
I don't know what is the cause of it. I am going to see an an urology doctor soon, and do some examition on the issue. Hope it is nothing.
But i have worried about this a lot, and i can't go anywhere due to this problem.  

Everyday I start the day thinking do i feel alright? Can i breath right? Do i feel pain anywhere or dizzy? .....Then i start to feel one or two uncomfortable things, ruin my day. What is wrong with me?

[bip]

Oh ya I have extremely anxiety and I go all day every hour of the day.... At nite it doesnt wake me up.Its called overactive bladder

[KevinNewYork]

Yea even before i had full blown anxiety i would go to the bathroom quite alot.  Now i go around every half hour.  (sometimes i can last longer).  but before i go to bed its always so annoying as i can go sometimes 3 - 4 times before i fall asleep and i wont have to go much at all but i still have to go .  then i wake up 3-4 in the night and have to go! grrr

[suzi-q]

I don't know the answer to the duration of the worrying to cause those symptoms.  I would guess (and this is just a guess), the urination comes quickly..(mine does) and the hair falling out would take some time.  My sister was very depressed at one time and stressed and her hair seemed to be falling out too!  (which caused her more stress!)..however, the hair loss was not significant and eventually it stopped.  As far as the urination...I go a lot more in the evening also, especially when I go to bed because I keep thinking "Do I have to go to the bathroom?"

[Nido]

I should also mention that the frequent urination varies throughout the day (more in evenings) but my worries stay constant. So my other question is does the panic attack trigger an immediate occurence of urination or can there be a couple hours lag? i.e Say you worry once or twice a lot during the day but the effect is you frequently urinate throughout the day. I also don't need to get up in the middle of the night to urinate (maybe because when I am sleeping, I'm not worrying?).

I don't know if this addendum helps. Sorry if this sounds confusing.